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Trivia: Musical Terms

Subject : trivia
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Refers to any great composer - conductor - or teacher of music.






2. The first section of a movement written in sonata form - introducing the melodies and themes.






3. The period of music history which dates from the mid 1800's and lasted about sixty years. There was a strong regard for order and balance.






4. A single line of music played or sung. A musical sentence.






5. The interval between two notes. Two whole tones and one semitone make up the distance between the two notes.






6. String instruments that are picked instead of bowed.






7. An instruction in sheet music to play softly. Abbreviated by a 'p'.






8. Word to indicate the movement or entire composition is to be played very slow and serious.






9. The intonation - pitch - and modulation of a composition expressing the meaning - feeling - or attitude of the music.






10. Pertaining to the sonata form - a fast movement in triple time.






11. Written for 2 to 10 solo parts featuring one instrument to a part. Each part bears the same importance.






12. A separate section of a larger composition.






13. A book of text containing the words of an opera.






14. A piece of music written in triple time. Also an old French dance.






15. Unmusical - without tone.






16. The frequency of a note determining how high or low it sounds.






17. A single line of music played or sung. A musical sentence.






18. In sheet music - a symbol at the beginning of the staff defining the pitch of the notes found in that particular staff.






19. One of two or more parts in polyphonic music. Voice refers to instrumental parts as well as the singing voice.






20. The interval between two notes. Two whole tones and one semitone make up the distance between the two notes.






21. Dull - monotonous tone such as a humming or buzzing sound. Also a bass note held under a melody.






22. Includes all twelve notes of an octave.






23. Ability to determine the pitch of a note as it relates to the notes that precede and follow it.






24. A song of praise and glorification. Most often to honor God.






25. Made up of five horizontal parallel lines and the spaces between them on which musical notation is written.






26. A book of text containing the words of an opera.






27. The performance of either all instruments of an orchestra or voices in a chorus.






28. The opening section of a piece of music or movement.






29. Closing section of a movement.






30. A symbol used in musical notation indicating to gradually quicken tempo.






31. A canon where the melody is sung in two or more voices. After the first voice begins - the next voice starts singing after a couple of measures are played in the preceding voice. All parts repeat continuously.






32. First developed in the 8th century - methods of writing music.






33. A group singing in unison.






34. Rapid alternation between notes that are a half tone or whole tone apart.






35. A symbol indicating that the note is to be diminished by one semitone.






36. Arrangement of music for a combined number of instruments.






37. Repetition of a single tone.






38. Sliding between two notes.






39. A short piano piece - often improvisational and intimate in character.






40. A form of Italian opera beginning at the end of the 19th century. The setting is contemporary to the composer's own time - and the characters are modeled after every day life.






41. A short piano piece - often improvisational and intimate in character.






42. Combining a number of individual but harmonizing melodies. Also known as counterpoint.






43. The unit of musical rhythm.






44. One of two or more parts in polyphonic music. Voice refers to instrumental parts as well as the singing voice.






45. In sheet music - an instruction to repeat the beginning of the piece before stopping on the final chord.






46. A direction in sheet music indicating the tempo is to be very fast.






47. Dull - monotonous tone such as a humming or buzzing sound. Also a bass note held under a melody.






48. Piece of instrumental music played between scenes in a play or opera.






49. A numeric symbol in sheet music determining the number of beats to a measure.






50. Elaborate polyphonic composition of the Boroque and Renaissance periods.